Notes on a Scorecard - Jan. 25, 1993

Welcome to L.A., the speck on the map that the NFL detoured the last time the Super Bowl was played in this county. . . .

Before their 39-20 victory over the Denver Broncos in Pasadena in 1987, the New York Giants practiced at Rams Park in Anaheim and stayed in Costa Mesa. . . .

The Broncos practiced at UC Irvine and stayed in Newport Beach. . . .

Media Day was at Orange Coast College. . . .

By the end of the week, I was thinking the game would be played at the Santa Ana Bowl instead of the Rose Bowl. . . .

The snub of Los Angeles was attributed by some to the friction between Pete Rozelle, then commissioner of the NFL, and Raider owner Al Davis. Rozelle, an L.A. native, denied it. . . .

Six years and a new commish later, the Buffalo Bills are practicing at USC and staying downtown. . . .

The Dallas Cowboys are practicing at UCLA and staying in nearby Santa Monica. . . .

Media Day will be Tuesday at Dodger Stadium. . . .

Thousands of out-of-town--and in-town--fans will discover that there actually is a downtown L.A. Friday from 4 to 9 p.m. when Touchdown Downtown, described as the world’s biggest pep rally, is celebrated on several city streets. . . .

What this and every other Super Bowl week could use, though, is something newsworthy. . . .

How about an NFL version of the Oscars? . . .

Unlike major league baseball and hockey, the NFL does not present official awards after the season. On page 169 of the NFL Record & Fact Book, the 1991 unofficial award winners are listed. Take your pick. Separate choices are made by the Pro Football Writers of America, Associated Press, United Press International, the Sporting News, Football News, Pro Football Weekly, Football Digest and the Maxwell Club. . . .

Selections in the various categories--most valuable player, best offensive and defensive players, coach of the year, rookie of the year, best comeback, etc.--would be far more meaningful if they were voted upon only by the pro football writers and announced at a special program during Super Bowl week. . . .

A trophy honoring the MVP would soon rival the Heisman for prestige. . . .

Eight former UCLA Bruins will suit up Sunday, but only three ever have played in a postseason game at the Rose Bowl. James Washington, Ken Norton Jr. and Derek Tennell were teammates when the Bruins beat Iowa, 45-28, in the 1986 Rose Bowl game, and Tennell also appeared in the 45-9 win over Illinois in 1984. . . .

Choice Super Bowl tickets have been selling for $1,500, about $500 less than some scalpers got for the MTV Presidential Inaugural Ball in Washington. . . .

Stat of the week, courtesy of CBS basketball announcers Jim Nantz and Billy Packer: NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue had more rebounds during his Georgetown career than Alonzo Mourning or Dikembe Mutombo and averaged more rebounds per game than Mutombo. . . .

Don’t expect instant success from New England Patriot Coach Bill Parcells. His first New York Giant team finished 3-12-1 in 1983 after going 4-5 under Ray Perkins during the strike-shortened 1982 season. . . .

A big story the week of the last Super Bowl game in Pasadena had Coach Mike Ditka saying he wouldn’t return to Chicago for the 1987 season because of the firing of General Manager Jerry Vainisi. . . .

Jockey Kent Desormeaux squeezed through a hole next to the rail to win his first comeback race aboard Shrewd Vixen Friday at Santa Anita and then said, “Fear gets you nowhere.”. . . .

George Foreman has been offered $8 million to challenge Lennox Lewis, but it will take more to get him into the ring with the World Boxing Council champion. Foreman is guaranteed $6 million plus a percentage of the pay-per-view receipts to fight Tommy Morrison, and was paid $12.5 million for his title match against Evander Holyfield. . . .

I never thought I would see the day when California would manhandle UCLA at Pauley Pavilion. . . .

From Coach George Raveling after USC’s dreary 63-55 victory over Stanford Saturday: “This game was probably as good as the Super Bowl will be.”